I seriously doubt that you can find a thermometer that has mercury in it anymore. It is just too expensive.

T-shirt filter should be good enough, especially when leaving behind a good layer of trub. That said, I probably would not drink it. But then again I did not pay for the ingredients. That is also why I don't use glass thermometers anymore.

Well I was going to pitch it, but then my wife stepped in with the t-shirt idea and I thought that is this beers only chance at this point. Then I read about the bb's being steel and no issues there and the manufacturer stating there was nothing toxic in the thermometer and thought if we can just get the glass we'll be okay.

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"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it's a matter of choice!"

For me I would not be concerned about the BB's, or the possibility of mercury. I would be concerned with the glass. In thinking about it, between leaving the trub behind and the filtering I would probably go for it if it were my beer. When you transfer to bottles or kegs there is another level of leaving anything heavy behind...

If someone offered me one of theirs, and told me of these problems, I would probably pass though.

the same happened to me a few batches back.....strained thru a lowes paint strainer, probobly the same as your wifes tee shirt idea...no probolem..yer fine relax and have a home brew....(kudos for your wife)

I seriously doubt that you can find a thermometer that has mercury in it anymore. It is just too expensive.

One would think you can't get Merthiolate/Thimerosol anymore either, considering it is a mercury solution designed to be put into open wounds - but I just saw bottles of it sitting on the shelf at Walmart a few weeks ago.....

One would think you can't get Merthiolate/Thimerosol anymore either, considering it is a mercury solution designed to be put into open wounds - but I just saw bottles of it sitting on the shelf at Walmart a few weeks ago.....